This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 WELLINGTON 000684 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/EAP, CANBERRA FOR RSO, 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2015 
TAGS: PTER ASEC NZ
SUBJECT: SECURITY ENVIRONMENT PROFILE QUESTIONNAIRE (SEPQ) 
FOR NEW ZEALAND 
 
REF: A. STATE 162859 
     ¶B. WELLINGTON 507 
     ¶C. WELLINGTON 499 
     ¶D. WELLINGTON 231 
     ¶E. 04 WELLINGTON 1047 
     ¶F. 04 WELLINGTON 975 
     ¶G. 04 WELLINGTON 934 
 
Classified By: FRANCIS X. CARROLL JR., ARSO, REASON 1.4 (B)(C)(D) 
 
SUMMARY: (SBU) On September 7, 2005, Embassy Wellington's 
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) reviewed Post's current 
security environment as it relates to Terrorism and Political 
Violence as requested in ref. A. Responses are keyed to the 
three main sections of the questionnaire. END SUMMARY 
 
POLITICAL VIOLENCE 
 
1.(SBU) Demonstrations: 
 
¶A. The EAC has agreed that New Zealand has several ethnic or 
religious communities capable of carrying out significant 
anti-American demonstrations; however, none are likely to do 
so at this time. 
 
¶B. In the last 12 months Embassy Wellington and Consulate 
Auckland have experienced a combined total of six 
anti-American demonstrations. (refs B through G). 
 
¶C. The anti-American demonstrations have taken place in front 
of Embassy Wellington and Consulate Auckland. 
 
¶D. The average size of the anti-American demonstrations is 
approximately 40-50 individuals. 
 
¶E. With the exception of two demonstrations, the 
anti-American protests have been triggered by U.S. foreign 
policy initiatives, namely Iraq. The two exceptions involved 
the local Ethiopian community who wanted to highlight the 
civil unrest in Ethiopia following the elections recently 
held there. 
 
¶F. Peaceful 
 
¶G. N/A 
 
¶H. N/A 
 
¶I. Within the last 12 months there have been several 
anti-government demonstrations in New Zealand of note to 
include environmental, indigenous Maori and civil union 
issues. 
 
¶J. No 
 
¶K. Approximately 500 
 
¶L. Peaceful 
 
¶M. N/A 
 
¶2. (SBU) MACRO CONFLICT CONDITIONS 
 
¶A. No 
 
¶B. N/A 
 
¶C. N/A 
 
¶D. N/A 
 
¶3. (S/NF) HOST COUNTRY CAPABILITIES 
 
¶A. Yes. 
 
¶B. Yes. The New Zealand Police continue to receive regular 
training in several areas of law enforcement. In recent 
years, the New Zealand Police have received specific drug 
related training from the DEA. In February 2005, the New 
Zealand Police hosted members of the DEA on a cannabis 
eradication operation in New Zealand's North Island. Various 
U.S. federal law enforcement agencies continue to visit New 
Zealand on a regular basis to provide training to various New 
Zealand Government agencies. Historically, the training has 
included topics such as illegal drugs, forgery, counterfeit 
currency, organized crime, counter-terrorism, alien smuggling 
as well as other law enforcement related topics. The training 
has been very effective and continues to benefit the U.S.- 
New Zealand relationship in the area of law enforcement. 
 
¶C. No. 
 
¶D. Yes. The New Zealand Special Intelligence Service (NZSIS) 
is a professional organization, whose size and budget have 
increased by 50% since 9-11. NZSIS' ability to deter 
terrorism continues to improve; however, New Zealand's long, 
unguarded coastline and number of major shipping ports makes 
initial detection of terrorists entering the country 
challenging. 
 
¶E. Yes 
 
¶F. No. The NZSIS is currently in the process of pursuing 
leads involving potential terrorism issues. 
¶G. Yes 
¶H. Overall security at New Zealand's Auckland International 
Airport is assessed as good/average. However, security at 
regional airports that provide domestic service throughout 
New Zealand is assessed as poor.  It is assessed as poor 
because some regional airports in New Zealand do not/not 
screen passengers or baggage prior to boarding the aircraft. 
 
¶I. Effective 
 
¶J. Ineffective.  New Zealand is approximately 1,800 miles 
from the nearest body of land (Australia), and has 
approximately 9,403 miles of exposed coastline. Consequently, 
the Border Patrol Forces can not adequately cover this large 
area. The New Zealand Defense Force has a P-3 Orion maritime 
surveillance aircraft that assists in patrolling the coast 
and territorial waters; however, even this is insufficient. 
With that said, the EAC agreed the threat to New Zealand's 
borders remains low. 
 
INDIGENOUS TERRORISM 
 
¶4. (SBU) Anti-American Terrorist Groups 
 
¶A. No 
 
¶B. N/A 
 
¶C. No 
 
¶D. N/A 
 
¶E. No 
 
¶F. No 
 
¶G. N/A 
 
¶H. N/A 
 
¶5. (SBU) Other Indigenous Terrorist Groups 
 
¶A. No 
 
¶B. N/A 
 
¶C. No 
 
¶D. N/A 
 
¶E. N/A 
 
¶6. (S/NF) Transnational Terrorism 
 
¶A. The New Zealand Government has been investigating various 
individuals who may have connections to terrorist 
organizations such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan 
(LTTE), Ansar Al-Islam, and Al-Qa'ida. The New Zealand 
Government's investigation are ongoing with an emphasis on 
determining the nature of the relationship between certain 
individuals and terrorist organizations. Most investigations 
do not involve law enforcement agencies at this time because 
to date there has been no indication of any criminal 
behavior. However, NZSIS and the New Zealand Police are 
cooperating on a joint investigation involving 
Algerian/Moroccan credit card fraud for links to terrorism. 
 
¶B. The EAC has no information to indicate a terrorist cell is 
operating in New Zealand. The investigation involves 
individuals, and the extent of their involvement in terrorist 
organizations is unknown. 
 
¶C. No 
 
¶D. No 
¶E. New Zealand has approximately 50,000 Muslims, including 
over 10,000 Somalis, and approximately 708 indigenous Maori 
Muslim converts.  The New Zealand Police recently provided 
information indicating some New Zealand Muslims have fought 
in Afghanistan, Bosnia and possibly Chechnya.  The police are 
also looking at some New Zealand citizens/residents who may 
have traveled to the Middle East including Iraq.  A specific 
example of such a person involves an individual known only as 
"Hamam".  This individual is an Afghan veteran and a surgeon 
from Egypt.  He is currently living in Auckland on state 
benefits and refuses to become employed.  He stays in a local 
Mosque and espouses anti-Western views. He is being monitored 
by the New Zealand Police. The EAC agreed that some members 
of New Zealand's Muslim community may be sympathetic to 
terrorist organizations around the world. 
 
¶F. According to the NZSIS, foreign intelligence services 
supporting international terrorism are not represented in New 
Zealand.  However, New Zealand does have an Iranian Embassy 
located in Wellington.  The EAC agreed that it is unlikely 
that the Iranian Embassy and its personnel would be involved 
in anti-American activities here.  The Iranian Embassy has 
three diplomatic officials who are being watched by the New 
Zealand Government.  To date, there has been no known 
aggressive behavior by the Iranian Embassy. 
 
¶G. Although the New Zealand government has strict gun control 
laws, weapons are available and use of weapons in criminal 
activities is not uncommon.  Explosives and related equipment 
are readily available in New Zealand's large 
agricultural/farming and building sectors.  The EAC believes 
that a terrorist attack against U.S. interests in New Zealand 
is unlikely; however, determined individuals could smuggle 
weapons and high explosives via one of New Zealand's major 
shipping ports or via its extensive coast line. 
Weapons/explosives smuggling might be facilitated through one 
or more of the South Pacific Islands such as Fiji, Tonga, 
Samoa, etc.  With that said however, it is most likely that 
any such activity would be for criminal purposes rather than 
terrorism. 
 
 
 
Burnett